Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder have managed to surpass expectations by contending for a ring this season. But for Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks, it’s business as usual when they met recently at the latter’s home court.
In a game between OKC and the Bucks at the Fiserv Forum, the Antetokounmpo-led team went home with the 118-93 win. The Greek Freak led Milwaukee by tallying 30 points, 19 rebounds, and four assists in over 33 minutes on the court. Khris Middleton had a triple-double of 11 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists to help seal the deal for Cream City.
The Thunder saw an off-night from Gilgeous-Alexander when the All-Star guard posted 12 points, three rebounds, two assists, and three steals. Josh Giddey tried to step up by leading OKC with 19 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists,.
The victory strengthened Milwaukee’s hold on the second seed in the Eastern Conference with 46 wins and 25 losses. Oklahoma City, on the other hand, lost the number one seed in the West by dropping to second place with 49-21 record.
Milwaukee Bucks Star Giannis Antetokounmpo Shares How His Team Contained Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
After the game, Antetokounmpo was asked by reporters how the Bucks contained Gilgeous-Alexander, one of the leading MVP candidates this season. Joel Lorenzi shared his response in a post on X:
Giannis on limiting Shai: “I think we just showed a lot of help. We know he’s the head of the snake. … You see guys that average 30, 35. But he’s also a willing passer. So that kind of helps you sometimes because he’s gonna try to make the right play, he’s not gonna force it,” Lorenzi tweeted.
By being aware of the Thunder star‘s scoring prowess and ability to create plays for his teammates, the Bucks were able to limit the Thunder’s primary source of offense. As a result, other OKC players found it hard to step against a powerhouse team like Milwaukee.
With the regular season coming to an end and the playoffs coming soon, every game is a win for both OKC and Milwaukee. As seen in their recent game, it looks like Antetokounmpo and the Bucks are trending toward the right direction.
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